I added, "Second, I'm your mate. You're supposed to be my partner, not my babysitter. Let me decide for myself. Your decisions are for you, no matter if you tell me you're doing it for me. You and I are supposed to be one, but I will never be you as you will never be me. Third, no, I will not admit to being fragile."
In an instant, Alastor was beside me, cupping my face with both his hands. He tilted my head so he could rest his forehead on mine, "I'm sorry," he said, before his head dropped on to my shoulders.
"You keep saying that a lot recently," I joked.
And for a moment, I felt bad. He looks so defeated, so exhausted, that maybe if I wasn't his mate, he wouldn't be like this. If his mate didn't come with a huge burden, he would be living the life he deserves.
But no, instead of ju
